Guest CrimsonFault Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-2230519.html Hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil 0 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 99 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 You say hopefully. But Im always wary when an unknown comes in to buy a big chunk such as this. I'd like to know their intentions before clapping for joy. As its an investment, they'd want returns just as the Halls do. Only they have even less of a connection with the club. Of course, running any club needs money in to improve and so increase market value and ideally share price and dividend payment. I dunno, Im no accountant, but just cautious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 You say hopefully. But Im always wary when an unknown comes in to buy a big chunk such as this. I'd like to know their intentions before clapping for joy. As its an investment, they'd want returns just as the Halls do. Only they have even less of a connection with the club. Of course, running any club needs money in to improve and so increase market value and ideally share price and dividend payment. I dunno, Im no accountant, but just cautious. 150176[/snapback] Time will tell. Those who want the Halls and Shepherd out and think almost anyone would be better, may unfortunately be about to get a rude awakening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Time will tell. Those who want the Halls and Shepherd out and think almost anyone would be better, may unfortunately be about to get a rude awakening. 150207[/snapback] I'm one of those who firmly beleive that there are ups and downs to our current administrators but rest assured they are infinately preferable to some US hedge fund. They are agressive and will seek almost instant returns (ie ticket price hikes). Doug and Fred may be in this to make cash, but it's in the form of a long-term family interest. A hudge fund would want high returns and a sale somewhere down the road. Our long-term interests would not be a consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Time will tell. Those who want the Halls and Shepherd out and think almost anyone would be better, may unfortunately be about to get a rude awakening. 150207[/snapback] I'm one of those who firmly beleive that there are ups and downs to our current administrators but rest assured they are infinately preferable to some US hedge fund. They are agressive and will seek almost instant returns (ie ticket price hikes). Doug and Fred may be in this to make cash, but it's in the form of a long-term family interest. A hudge fund would want high returns and a sale somewhere down the road. Our long-term interests would not be a consideration. 150252[/snapback] That is exactly what I think too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Time will tell. Those who want the Halls and Shepherd out and think almost anyone would be better, may unfortunately be about to get a rude awakening. 150207[/snapback] I'm one of those who firmly beleive that there are ups and downs to our current administrators but rest assured they are infinately preferable to some US hedge fund. They are agressive and will seek almost instant returns (ie ticket price hikes). Doug and Fred may be in this to make cash, but it's in the form of a long-term family interest. A hudge fund would want high returns and a sale somewhere down the road. Our long-term interests would not be a consideration. 150252[/snapback] That is exactly what I think too 150254[/snapback] Ditto. Certainly not the buy-out I had hoped for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 30142 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 I don't know why a hedge fund or any sort of financial institution would be interested in a football club, yes Man U make a bit of money but they're a global brand on a much bigger scale than we are. If a hedge fund do take over the most important thing to them would be us making a profit, not asset stripping or leaving us as a mid-table team, they know the big money is to be made in the CL and perhaps they see us a side capable of achieving that without costing a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Magpies confirm buy-out approach Newcastle have confirmed to the Stock Exchange that majority shareholder Sir John Hall has been approached to sell his stake in the club. Hall, who paid an estimated £3m to take charge of the club in 1991, stepped down as chairman in 1997. Weekend newspaper reports suggested an American backed consortium had been working on a buy-out proposal. A club statment said an approach had been received "which may or may not lead to the disposal of the stake." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ted/5093752.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleftpeg 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 You say hopefully. But Im always wary when an unknown comes in to buy a big chunk such as this. I'd like to know their intentions before clapping for joy. As its an investment, they'd want returns just as the Halls do. Only they have even less of a connection with the club. Of course, running any club needs money in to improve and so increase market value and ideally share price and dividend payment. I dunno, Im no accountant, but just cautious. 150176[/snapback] Time will tell. Those who want the Halls and Shepherd out and think almost anyone would be better, may unfortunately be about to get a rude awakening. 150207[/snapback] I've got nowt againts SJH, I thought his takeover and running of the club was superb (apart from the SOS stuff and the Sporting Club idea). It's since he's gone that the club have stood still. Far more dynamic than his son, who it appears just sit's there (not in his Gibralta office) waiting for March to come round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 172 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=39...shares+interest Newcastle United's majority shareholder Sir John Hall has confirmed interest is building in acquiring his 28.8 percent stake in the club. Hall, who stepped down as Magpies chairman in 1997, still retains nearly a third of the club's shares. Speculation over the weekend hinted an American hedge fund had been working with investment bank UBS with regards to a buy-out proposal. Hall has now informed The Magpies that he could be set to sell his shareholding, although there has been no mention of whether an offer had been tendered. "The board of Newcastle United PLC notes recent press speculation and confirms that it has been informed by Sir John Hall representing Wynyard (Guernsey) Limited, which owns approximately 28.8 percent of Newcastle United PLC, that it has received expressions of interest to acquire its shareholding, which may or may not lead to the disposal of its stake," read a club statement. "A further announcement will be made if appropriate." Shares in Newcastle United opened at 46.5 pence at the start of play on Monday morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_NUFC 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I'm very cautious about this. It might be better, but it might be worse. If a takeover goes ahead, the new lot might invest in us heavily in which case we'll be saying good riddance. If they're asset strippers who aren't arsed and just want a profit, we'll be wishing we stuck with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/...1309861,00.html Polygon enjoys high-profile shareholder battles but, like other hedge funds, keeps a low profile when it comes to other aspects of its business. A sparse website contains no telephone numbers while the directory inquiries service insists Polygon is not listed at its address off the Kings Road in Chelsea. Even the public relations firm that does work for Polygon on the British Energy battle says it is not hired to talk about any other issue. Polygon itself is unwilling to talk or comment directly on British Energy, or on speculation that it has a 3% share in furniture retailer DFS. Last year it used another financial PR firm to help it lead shareholder opposition to plans by chairman Peter Simon to increase his family's holding at fashion retailer Monsoon. It was later reported that Mr Simon had called for a Financial Services Authority inquiry after it was found that Polygon held only one share in Monsoon. The hedge fund's website claims Polygon Investment Partners is a "global investment fund" with $1.35bn under management. It manages a "single multi-strategy investment fund" called Polygon Global Opportunities Master Fund, which BE claims has a principal office in the Cayman Islands. It is led by Reade Griffith, a Harvard College-trained economics graduate who was previously founder and chief executive of the European office of Citadel Investment Group. He has been working with Paddy Dear who had previously been managing director and global head of hedge fund coverage for UBS Warburg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleftpeg 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Surely selling a large chuck of shares to a US company goes against our new Geordie Nation™ policy? Was the CEO's wife's mam born in Byker or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44015 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I can't understand why any sort of investment fund would want to put money into a club that's losing the sort of money we are at the minute. An independently wealthy businessman looking for a new toy I could understand, but a fund focussed on making profits just doesn't make any sense. I'll email my nerdy mate who works in financial services and see what he reckons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3784 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 The thing is we really don't have assets to strip. We don't own the ground. We haven't got a set of world class players. Nobody really makes money in football except the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do own the ground itself, just not the land on which it sits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44015 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 The ground is mortgaged on a long term loan though so we don't really own it. I wouldn't think there'd be too much profit to be made from selling it, especially with not owning the land it's built on. I'd be very surprised if John Hall, having put the time and effort in to build Newcastle United up, would sell to someone intent on asset-stripping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Is the ground offered as security on top of the lockbox agreement for the ground expansion cash? I thought it was secured only on future ticket income and our Premier League status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do own the ground itself, just not the land on which it sits. 150548[/snapback] Fat load of use that is when you dont own the land that it's built on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do own the ground itself, just not the land on which it sits. 150548[/snapback] Fat load of use that is when you dont own the land that it's built on! 150564[/snapback] The land is on a long-term lease from the City Council iirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do have a ninety-something year lease, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do own the ground itself, just not the land on which it sits. 150548[/snapback] Fat load of use that is when you dont own the land that it's built on! 150564[/snapback] The land is on a long-term lease from the City Council iirc. 150569[/snapback] Oh aye, I dont doubt we have the right to be there-we're not gippos ffs! But I mean from the point of view of an asset stripper moving in. I dont think we represent a major opportunity to venture capitalists tbh. We have a good source of income compared to most clubs but our liabilities are massive (managable but genuinely massive) and we don't have much in the way of saleable assets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 172 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Shepherd to hit bids with right hook Chairman Freddy Shepherd is confident of beating off any bids for control of Newcastle following the news Sir John Hall has been approached. News that former chairman Hall, now club president, has received an approach to sell his holding has sparked fresh suggestions that ownership of the Magpies could change hands. However, insiders at St James' Park have insisted privately that Shepherd could repel any such move. A statement was released to the Stock Exchange by Newcastle PLC on Monday morning following speculation over the weekend that American hedge fund Polygon has been working with investment bank UBS for several months on a buy-out proposal. The statement said: "The board of Newcastle United PLC notes recent press speculation and confirms that it has today been informed by Sir John Hall representing Wynyard (Guernsey) Limited, which owns approximately 28.8% of Newcastle United PLC, that it has received expressions of interest to acquire its shareholding, which may or may not lead to the disposal of its stake. "A further announcement will be made if appropriate." Hall's son Douglas, currently deputy chairman at St James', is linked to a further 13% stake, while Shepherd Offshore recently upped its holding to 27.29%. It is not the first time the man who took control of the club in 1991 after an acrimonious battle has been offered the opportunity to sell up. Reports last summer suggested a Malaysian group and another British-based investor were ready to fight it out for his stake. Metrocentre developer Hall succeeded Gordon McKeag at the helm of the struggling club and having drafted in former player Kevin Keegan as manager, sparked a drive which propelled Newcastle into the big time. By the time he stood down as chairman to be succeeded by Shepherd in December 1997, the Magpies had twice finished runners-up in the Premiership and had embarked upon their first Champions League campaign. It was Hall who, 10 years ago, provided Keegan with the then world record £15million to buy Alan Shearer, and the big spending has continued under Shepherd. Newcastle PLC reported an operating profit of £2.7million for the six months to January 31, 2006, down £5.8million on the previous period. However, they spent £28million on Michael Owen, Albert Luque and Nolberto Solano during the same six months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 We do have a ninety-something year lease, though. 150572[/snapback] I doubt we have the option to sub-let in the event of a change of use though-which would be the only thing of interest to an asset stripper. I stand to be corrected of course. Freddy's interested in strippers with big assets but I doubt he's interested many big asset strippers tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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